Page 35 of Madness

We fall over the edge together, clinging to each other as waves of ecstasy wash over us. I cry out softly, mindful of Roman sleeping down the hall, as Dakota buries his face in my neck, his body shuddering against mine.

Afterward, we lie tangled together, my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat slowly return to normal. Dakota presses a kiss to my forehead, his arms tightening around me protectively.

In this moment, despite all the uncertainty ahead, I feel safe, cherished, and completely at peace. But as the afterglow fades, reality begins to creep back in. Dakota will be leaving soon. This bubble we've created can't last forever.

As if sensing my thoughts, Dakota tilts my chin up, meeting my eyes. "Hey," he says softly. "Where'd you go just now?"

I bite my lip, debating whether to voice my fears. But looking into his eyes, which are so full of warmth and understanding, I find the courage to be honest. "I was just thinking... what happens now? When you leave for tour?"

Dakota's arms tighten around me, and I feel him take a deep breath. "I don't know," he admits. "But I do know this - what we have, it's special. I'm not fucking walking away from it. We'll figure it out, okay?"

I nod, wanting desperately to believe him. For now, I push the worries aside and snuggle closer, letting the steady beat of Dakota's heart lull me. Tomorrow, we'll face reality. But tonight... tonight is ours.

20

KISS FROM A ROSE

DAKOTA

The soft light of dawn filters through Lauren's curtains. I trace my fingers lightly along her arm, committing every detail to memory. Her hair is tousled from sleep, her lips slightly parted. The sight of her makes my chest ache in a way I haven't felt in years.

I should leave. Roman will be up soon, and although he knows me, Lauren and I agreed it's best not to complicate things further right now. But I can't seem to make myself move.

Lauren stirs, her eyes fluttering open. A slow smile spreads across her face as she focuses on me. "Morning," she murmurs, voice husky with sleep.

"Morning," I whisper back, leaning in to brush a soft kiss against her lips.

She glances at the clock and sighs. "You should probably go soon."

"Yeah," I agree, but I make no move to get up. Instead, I pull her closer, burying my face in her hair.

Lauren chuckles softly. "Dakota..."

"I know, I know," I groan, finally forcing myself to sit up. I reach for my jeans on the floor, but as I do, a melody starts to form in my head. Fragments of lyrics follow, raw and unfiltered.

I grab my phone from the nightstand, opening the voice memo app. "Hold on," I mutter to Lauren, hitting record.

I hum the melody softly, then whisper-sing:

"Ghosts of the past, always at our heels

Scars still raw, time hasn't healed

But in this moment, between night and day

We found a shelter, where shadows fade away"

I pause the recording, the weight of the words hanging in the air. It's not perfect, but it's honest. It captures the complexity of what's growing between us, acknowledging our pasts while celebrating this fragile new beginning.

Lauren props herself up on an elbow, watching me with a mix of curiosity and something deeper. "New song?"

I nod, suddenly feeling exposed. "Just trying to capture this. Us. It's not finished, obviously."

She reaches out, running her fingers through my hair. "It's beautiful," she says softly. "And a little haunting."

I lean into her touch, closing my eyes. "That's us, isn't it? Beautiful and a little haunting."

A creak in the hallway makes us both freeze. We hold our breath, listening. After a moment, we hear the soft patter of little feet heading towards the bathroom.

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